Background

UN Women East & Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) maintains a large presence in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, covering 13 countries with a Programme Presence in Somalia. In accordance with the UN Women Strategic Note, which is in line with the Africa Strategy, UN Women works to advance social, economic, and political rights and protection of women and girls from violence including harmful practices. The ESARO also focuses on those from marginalized, excluded, and under-represented groups, including rural women, women with disabilities, women living with or affected by HIV, women survivors of violence, women migrants, elderly women among others. Additionally, women and girls are often greatly affected in both sudden and slow-onset emergencies and are at increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, unplanned pregnancies, maternal deaths, and illnesses, and sexual and gender-based violence. UN Women’s Programme on Women’s Empowerment in Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) rights in humanitarian settings in the Horn of Africa Region (POWER) seeks to address some of these challenges.

The Horn of Africa (HoA), which consists of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda, currently has 20 million people affected by crises which has a negative impact on the most vulnerable population’s ability to access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The context leaves women and girls particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse, including defilement and rape. This is further compounded by the social distancing and restrictions imposed during COVID-19, making it difficult to make available and access the services in many countries specifically in humanitarian settings. 

Several on-going crises in HoA have led to large movements of people within and between countries and significant local, national, and regional impacts. Wide geographical and socio-economic disparities impact access to health services, and coverage of priority SRMNCAH interventions is sub-optimal both in the development and humanitarian settings throughout. Discrimination against women and girls including gender-based violence, economic exclusion, and the disparity in access to quality and affordable SRMNCAH services is common across the region. In humanitarian settings, many women and girls are vulnerable due to the limited healthcare facilities, lack of information and some-times difficulties accessing or inability to access services due to their vulnerability. Their situation has become worse with COVID 19.

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 and the subsequent closure of schools, the number of unplanned pregnancies especially among adolescent girls has escalated. The pandemic risks the reversal of gains made in the access SRMNCAH services and protection of women and girls. Limited access to SRMNCAH services especially, menstrual hygiene products and sexual and reproductive health services including post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits will exacerbate risks to girl’s reproductive health. There are instances where fear of infection, family and caregivers are reluctant to permit adolescent girls to access such services.

The importance of reproductive rights and access to quality health services for women and girls are enshrined in a wide range of normative frameworks, including the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially target 5.6 on sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights and related targets across Goal 3. Most recently, the Generation Equality Forum Blueprints for Action Coalitions on Gender-Based Violence and Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights add new momentum to these commitments. POWER analysis of legal and policy frameworks has shown that these international frameworks are reinforced by various instruments and policies at the regional and national levels to promote SRMNCAH, such as the African Union Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Continental Policy Framework (2005) which is operationalized through the Maputo Plan of Action. However, efforts to address discriminatory practices and the diverse barriers to women and girl’s demanding their rights remain a priority and are a focus for POWER.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the POWER Programme: 

The programme aims to address the barriers that prevent women, children, and adolescents from demanding and realizing their rights to SRMNCAH services. It seeks to achieve the following outcomes (results) in humanitarian settings:

• Established rights-based national and local SRMNCAH frameworks.
• Improved promotion of equal gender norms, attitudes and practices on women’s and girls’ rights to SRMNCAH.
• Empowered women and girls exercise their SRMNCAH rights and seek services.

The POWER programme is implemented in select humanitarian settings in Ethiopia and Uganda and complemented by key activities at the regional level for the Horn of Africa (HoA).

POWER will convene dialogues and training for the Horn of Africa (HoA) region in 8 countries (Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, and Djibouti) to complement activities implemented in selected areas in humanitarian settings in Ethiopia and Uganda. In this regard and in support of POWER Project’s Outcome 3: Empowered women and girls to exercise their SRMNCAH rights and seek services and Output 3.1 SRMNCAH rights and services championed by women leaders, UN Women - ESARO will train women in relevant government ministries, regional economic communities, parliamentarians, and key advocates on gender responsive SRMNCAH rights. The participants will be identified through UN Women country offices as current or potential partners for country-level and regional advocacy. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the training will be conducted virtually, and UN Women is seeking a Facilitator/Trainer to finalize training content and lead the delivery of the virtual training in collaboration with UN Women

Objective of the training:

The overall objective of the training on gender responsive SRMNCAH rights is to increase the awareness and knowledge of individual leaders on SRMNCAH rights as well as enhancing their capacities to advocate for those rights. The training aims to:

• Strengthen the capacity of women leaders and advocates to champion people-centered, gender-responsive and human rights-based approaches to SRMNCAH.
• Reflect on existing advocacy strategies and tools to maximize their capacity to address barriers women face in accessing services and realization of rights in SRMNCAH in humanitarian settings.

The training will accompany the work undertaken by UN Women Ethiopia and Uganda Country Offices toward empowering women and girls to exercise their SRMNCAH rights and seek services in humanitarian settings.

Scope of Work:

The regional virtual is envisioned to be held over a period of 3-5 half-days in late October, followed with 2 days follow up in November (specific dates to be confirmed). Participants will be engaged before the training to ensure the content and approach meets their needs and can maximize their learning, exchange of expertise and collaboration with other participants. The Facilitator/Trainer will be expected to guide the overall training agenda and methodology, lead on select topics and moderate discussions to meet the training objectives identified above.

Deliverables:

• Workplan and training agenda with proposed methodologies, based on project documentation and concept not prepared by UN Women with attention to adult learning and good practices for online training.
• Review draft content provided by UN Women and finalize training materials for SRMNCAH knowledge and advocacy in humanitarian settings.
• Develop Pre- and Post-Assessment and related reflection/evaluation forms.
• Facilitation of the training for the 8 HOA countries on Gender responsive SRMNCAH Rights.
• Support design and as relevant facilitation of 2-day follow-up sessions with the respective country participants
• Provide guidance and key inputs for the training report developed by UN Women.

Indicators to evaluate the consultant’s performance:

Performance indicators are:

• The quality and timely delivery of all required tasks as provided for in these terms of reference to ensure the successful coordination and facilitation of the 3 days and 2 days follow up of the gender responsive SRMNCAH training
• The submission of all reports including the inception and the final comprehensive report as provided for in these terms of reference

The deadline for sending the Final report is 5 working days after completion of training.  Approval of the final report by the UN Women will be the basis for issuing the final payment as indicated in the Payment schedule.

The successful candidate should be able to take up their duties as soon as the contractual documentation has been finalized.

Payment Schedule:

In full consideration for satisfactory completion of deliverables as provided for in these terms of reference and subject to receipt of the inception and final reports as provided for herein.

UN Women shall pay the consultant:

• 100 % upon completion of the regional training and submission of the regional training workshop report, including relevant materials and annexes.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637

Functional Competencies:

• Sharing knowledge and experience;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UN Women;
• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills. Communicates sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies;
• Demonstrates very good understanding of and experience in communications and outreach/advocacy;
• Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource;
• Focuses on results for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Proven networking skills and ability to generate interest in UN Women’s mandate;
• Identifies opportunities and builds strong partnerships with clients and partners;
• Multidisciplinary skills and the ability to communicate effectively;
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team;
• Sensitivity to regional political, gender and cultural balance;
• A high standard of professionalism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University degree, preferably advanced level, in Gender Development studies, international development, international relations or directly relevant field;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years relevant and professional experience including extensive knowledge of SRMNCAH with regards to humanitarian settings;
• Proven and extensive experience in the development of training materials;
• Proven ability and experience in leading and facilitating training workshops on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) with excellent drafting and communication skills. Ability to communicate in French will be highly desirable.

Application:

• All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment.
• Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment and candidates are required to include in the P-11 form links for their previously published reports and articles completed within the last two years. Applications without the completed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

UNWOMEN is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence